a little hope

prologue

Snow fell onto a little fox cub's face as she struggled to get through the thick cold snow. The wind blew in all directions smacking icy cold chills underneath her beautiful red fur, sending a chill up her spine. Birds sat side by side on icy branches trying to create warmth. While the trees whispered coldly, trying to break the ice off the leaves.

The fox cub bounded up and down trying to jump over the big chunks of snow, scrambling up thick piles of ice. A crunching sound was in the distance as if another set of paws were galloping towards her, Panic surged through the fox cub as she began to sprint. Not looking back, She leaped out of the snow onto ice. As there was a red wood tree jutting out of the ground. The cub ran closer and closer, ducked under the tree as she found herself trapped, surrounded by tree roots. She looked around hearing the paw steps begin to scramble on ice.

There was a tree root, bigger than the rest. not realizing it was still too small for her. She dived under the root. Her body jutted as her hips jammed into the wood. She struggled, pushing hard with her hind legs, her front legs scrambling around trying to find any grip. The creature's footsteps came closer and closer as the sound bounded off the wall of roots. With one last effort her claw grabbed hold of a nook in the icy snow, she heaved. Feeling its hot breath on the fox cub's tail and shooting herself out on the other side of the root.

Opening herself up to the open of snow. She looked back around, seeing if the danger was trapped but no. Its dark red paws were scraping into the ice, creating a hole around the roots. The fox cub looked up above the tree roots to find a little nook that would be the perfect size for a cub. She bolted, skidding on the ice and jumped clumsily landing on top of the roots. Her fur blended into the red rotting wood. The predator growled and yipped in victory as it squeezed out underneath the roots, Its breath, blasting out hot steam, with excitement and anger.

Its tail finally slipped out from beneath the root and stood in confusion, Looking across the ice for any signs of red fur. The fox cub crouched low, her breath shallow and hot from the chase. The creature fluffed up its dark red fur the color of dark blood. It swishes its tail, In thought and confusion. The fox cub crouched lower trying to flatten herself out. The creature looked up suddenly, a smug smile crossed its face. Its eyes blazing a dark, dark red. The fox cub made a panicked squeak, Standing up and turned around trying to climb higher, away from the predator, Her claws scrambling on the wood trying to get any sort of nook to haul herself up.

The predator jumped up on the roots and grabbed the fox cub by the scruff, gripping hard it threw the cub back on the ice. The cub makes a panicked squeal and scramble across the ice trying to scramble away. The creature landed on the fox cub's back pinning her to the ground, its weight crushing the poor fox cub. The creature growled showing all its teeth, Its long teeth dripped with saliva, designed to crunch fox cub bones.